St Anthony’s Day
January 16th in the evening and during the day on the 17th
Sant Antoni in Sant Llorenç des Cardassar
This is one of our most deeply rooted festivals and involves many activities linked to the veneration of the patron saint of domestic animals in which he is asked to protect the animals that help work the fields. The festival begins on the eve of the saint’s day with the Revetla de Sant Antoni (a dance and party) and large bonfires are lit in the town’s main streets and squares. Fire, which is the true focus of the celebration, symbolises the purification and renovation of life and the triumph of good over evil. One of the most acclaimed events, the dance of Sant Antoni accompanied by traditional music, is held at midday on the 17th.
Sant Antoni in Son Servera
Sant Antoni or St Anthony’s Day is probably Mallorca’s most traditional and popular festival. In Son Servera the festivity dates back to 3 April 1698, when the inhabitants of Artà presented the town with its chapel.
Son Servera was essentially a farming town with strong Christian convictions and it needed the image of the saint in its old chapel of Son Frai Garí (on the former Servera estate) to petition for protection for the animals that carried out the heaviest work in the fields. We know from documents that the festival was first celebrated at the beginning of the 19th century. That explains why the mask representing the devil dates from the beginning of that century. This papier mâché mask is now part of the heritage collection of the Churchwardens of St Anthony. To protect the original, the image we see today is a lighter, glass fibre replica. The Churchwardens of St Anthony and Son Servera town council jointly organise a series of traditional events related to the festival. They include completes (religious singing), the traditional bonfires to purify the spirits, and the blessing of the animals, all of which give a festive air to the rigours of the winter temperatures.
Over the years the coastal districts of the municipality have incorporated elements of the festival with the aim of encouraging participation, preserving traditions and inviting our visitors to join with us in celebrating one of our most emblematic festivals.
